Bring it 2010!!

This is us right now ... gearing up for a fun-filled New Year's party at the Howards!!

Merry Christmas ... a little late

We actually decorated the first of the month ... so we could enjoy Christmas goodness all month long:

Michael was a sport and let me play Christmas music the whole time :)

Baileycat helped by getting in the tree box:

Bailey was the most interactive this Christmas than ever before ...

... here she sat riveted while Michael opened presents:

and then she found another box to take a nap in:

Michael got me an AMAZING jewelry armoire (left in the pic) and a kindle ... then I checked my email to find a great amazon gift card from Phillis and Bruce so I can start buying books!):

Jan and Steve sent the kids some great gifts and us a Las Vegas puzzle! The puzzle that Michael got me last year is still a "work-in-process" on our kitchen table ... I can't wait to do this one!!

Michael enjoying some of his new toys:

... and then enjoying Pigdog on his lap and a cup of coffee:

Piglet helping out in the kitchen:

Piglet got a new Rudolph (aka Rudy) from Mandy and the girls, as well as a really loud Christmas chicken from Jan!

This was our last Christmas in Oki - Whoop!!

Whimsical Christmas Toes

Here are my last toes for Christmas from Okinawa :) I've gone "responsible" (aka pretty, but boring) on all the other Christmas toes I've gotten and I was determined to get something fun before Christmas came and went this year ...

From the littlest piggy ... candy cane (can't be seen b/c I have little pygmy feet), candy cane, Rudolph, Christmas tree, Frosty

How cool are these toes. I love them.

I cut my hair!!

The before pics:

The after pics - I had about 6 inches cut off!!

Christmas Toes

Here are our toes for Christmas!! Phillis went with poinsettias and snowflakes, while I went with a Christmas argyle :)

Michael's Mom Came To Visit!

Michael's mom, Phillis, came to visit for Thanksgiving! We were able to show off our island a little bit and she was the first person to stay in our guest room! I had to work the first few days, but Michael took her down to Shuri Castle:

Phillis with a big Shisa:

Michael and her in front of the castle:

Nothing like a little overpopulation:

We went and had our toes done at Cocok's so she had some fancy Christmas toes to take back to Texas:

We went down South to the glass factory:

... and then we went to Peace Prayer Park and ate at Cafe Caracuma (Thai in the Sky)!

at one of the memorials they had the cool origami cranes hanging:

We made pumpkin pies and German chocolate pecan pies for Thanksgiving (for the Marines and us):

Michael made his delightful stuffing:

We went to Expo Park and toured the Aquarium. Here is Michael and I in front of a turtle and a dolphin :)

We saw a REALLY cool close-up view of some dolphins:

Michael and Phillis got splashed:

We also saw the dolphin show where this cute little guy stuck his tongue out at us :P

I got caught in a megaladon's wrath:

and we ended the night with a perfect sunset :)

... even Baileycat LOVED the tunnel that Phillis brought her. We still can't keep her out of it!

Thanks for coming to visit us!

Vintage Victuals Giveaway

I keep posting about giveaways ... hoping that someday I will win something ... here's to continuuing to hope!!
I found the Vintage Victuals (click on the name to check it out!) website on a whim one day while "blurking" through other blogs - and it has some of the BEST recipes on there!! Everytime I try a new recipe, Michael asks, "Is this a blog recipe?? Then it should be good". And it is. Recipes made from scratch just taste SO delicious!!
She is giving away three of these:

They are hand-crafted, gourmet-quality recipes carefully layered in mason jars and decorated for the holidays. She sells them on her Etsy site and they would make GREAT gifts (especially for the lazy baker in all of us)!!

****UPDATE****

I can't believe my mom won the giveaway. I need to take her to Vegas - she always wins!!

Bravo Company Marine Corps Ball 2009

Michael had his last Marine Corps Ball as Company Commander of Co B this week! Here we are before we left for the O'Club:

Giving Katie some sass:

Michael in the taxi on the way to the club:

Michael escorting the Guest of Honor during the ceremony:

Presentation of colors and the cake:

Michael cutting the cake for the Guest of Honor and the Youngest/Oldest Marines:

Michael giving his opening remarks and introducing the Guest of Honor:

SgtMaj Vasquez giving a great speech:

Presenting SgtMaj Vasquez with a gift:

Marines enjoying the ball ... there were 694 Marines at the ball - biggest Marine Corps Ball on the island!!

Since it was such a large MC Ball, a lot of the Marines didn't bring dates so that more of their buddies could come ... hence the bro-mance on the dancefloor!

Relaxing after the ceremony:

Marines doing the "stanky-leg" ... it was hilarious!!

Me, Jim (XO) and Shelly:

Michael jumped in :)

Me, Shelly and Laura:

Some last pics before we hit the dance floor!!

It was an awesome MC Ball!! We had so much fun and it was great to see Michael's last ball as Company Commander be so successful!